SitcomWriter
Los Angeles, CA
Female, 33
For over ten years, I’ve had the extreme pleasure of being staffed on several half-hour network sitcoms, rising in the ranks from Staff Writer to Co-Executive producer. My writing partner and I are now developing our own material.
This is tough. I think Strangers with Candy, an old Amy Sedaris show on Comedy Central should have gotten the audience of a 2 and 1/2 Men. I think Spaced a British show starring Simon Pegg is close to perfect. Actual American Network Sitcoms? Right now not enough people watch Community (perhaps too insider?). And not enough people watch Cougar Town (perhaps they still think it's a show about an old woman humping young boys?) in my humble opinion.
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OMG yes. Hours are long. Deadlines are fast approaching. You're tired. You're stressed. What's the best way to take it out? Argue with someone over which dick joke is funnier. It happens all. the. time.
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I have my dream job and I still hate it about half the time. The hours suck. Plus it's very hard when you really love a joke or an idea and your boss says “no.”
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If you are in a partnership you get paid as if you were one writer. You split the salaries, the script fees, the residuals. I am a co-executive producer (the second most senior position on staff). There have been occasions when I take home less than the story editors (the second lowest position). That is a huge chunk of change people. Why do I do it? I have a built in joke beater. A therapist (I was horrible today - no you were great). A friend on those awkward first days. Pitching is easier/more fun with a partner to share the floor. Showrunning with someone you 100% trust is a freaking blessing. But above all I think she's an amazingly talented writer and I think she feels the same about me. As good as our writing is individually, together we're even better. As for your first question - I've never been on a show with more than one other writing team. There aren't a lot of us. (they don't last long. See: splitting paychecks above). I know some showrunners love having them. My partner and I can each run our own rooms so they really are getting two for the price of one. But I know others don't like having a pair that are more loyal to each other than the show. So I guess I wouldn't team up just to make myself more marketable. Only team up if you truly feel like the other person makes your writing exponentially better (once again see: splitting paychecks above)
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When you are a lower level writer it can be a lot about the creative. Your main job is to pitch jokes, maybe some stories and just basically be an asset in the room. You're also not trying to sell scripts, you're trying to sell yourself so you get to write what you want to show who you are as a writer. Once you start moving up the ranks you bet your butt it's about the business. During development it's not what you think is a great idea. It's what you think they think (network and studio execs) is a good idea. The way you keep you soul alive during this process and the countless notes is by telling yourself once I'm allowed to actually write I can make it more "me". It's weird that the more you do this job the less you actually get to write.
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Stephen Colbert is a genius. Plain and simple. I think most people in my industry with agree.
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There is the occasional stand-up on a writing staff, but it's far from the majority. I would say there are a lot more people with improv backgrounds.
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